Private Student Loans

Students are encouraged to explore federal student loan options first, as federal loans generally provide important borrower protections and more flexible repayment options. If additional funding is needed after federal aid has been exhausted, a private student loan may be considered to help cover remaining educational expenses.

Eligibility for Private Loan Certification

The Financial Aid Office will not certify private student loans for students who are:

On financial aid suspension
Enrolled less than half-time in their academic program
Enrolled as non-degree-seeking students

Students who meet the eligibility requirements may review information about private education loans and access a list of historical lenders on FastChoice.

Borrower Responsibilities

Before borrowing a private student loan, students should carefully consider the long-term financial commitment involved. A private student loan is a legal obligation, and borrowers are responsible for repaying the principal balance along with any accrued interest according to the terms of the loan agreement. Students are encouraged to fully understand the terms, conditions, and repayment responsibilities before accepting any loan.

Private Loan Counseling

After a private loan has been certified by the Financial Aid Office, the borrower must complete a required private loan counseling session before loan funds can be disbursed.

To schedule a loan counseling session with your financial aid advisor, click the button below.

Schedule a Private Loan Counseling Session

The counseling requirement only needs to be completed once. After the initial counseling session has been completed, future private loan certifications may be processed by phone or email without requiring an additional counseling appointment.

Kirkwood participates with the National Student Clearinghouse for deferment of student loans. Verification for currently enrolled students is provided to the Clearinghouse three times each term.

A list of participating lenders is available on the National Student Clearinghouse website. Students may view the electronic notifications and deferment forms that have been sent to lenders, servicers and guarantors on the Clearinghouse web site.

The Clearinghouse web site may be accessed through MyHub.

If enrollment needs to be verified at any other time, mail completed deferment forms directly to the National Student Clearinghouse at:

National Student Clearinghouse
13454 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
Herndon, VA 20171

The Clearinghouse will complete the certification section and forward the deferment form to the lender.

Deferments for lenders who are not members of the National Student Clearinghouse should be brought to the Financial Aid office. The deferments will be processed and mailed to the appropriate address.

Commercial User Inquiries
If you have a question or need assistance regarding a degree or enrollment verification, please contact the National Student Clearinghouse at:
Phone: 703-742-4200
Fax: 703-742-4239
Degree Verification Email: degreeverify@studentclearinghouse.org
Enrollment Verification: enrollmentverify@studentclearinghouse.org

Verification of Enrollment for Students
Student self-service enrollment verifications are available on the National Student Clearinghouse website, which can be accessed through the secure MyHub for students site. From MyHub, you can print a certificate of enrollment that can be forwarded to a health insurer, housing provider, credit issuer, or other student services provider.

“With the help of scholarships, I will have the best chance of being successful here at Kirkwood. It is very reassuring that others are just as invested in my education as I am, and that alone is all the drive I need to succeed.”

Mayghan,
Homestead, Iowa

Questions?

For more information about student loans, contact the Financial Aid Office:

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Regular hours)

Phone: 319-398-7600 or 1-877-386-9101
Fax: 319-398-4928
Email: Financial Aid - financialaid@kirkwood.edu

FAFSA School Code: 004076

Location: 3rd Floor Iowa Hall

Mailing Address:

Kirkwood Community College
Financial Aid Office
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404